Where can I buy a 24-inch digital picture frame?
Finding a good 24-inch digital picture frame can be tricky as there aren’t that many choices on the market at the moment. Amazon is your best bet, though most of their available selections are generic brands – though that doesn’t mean they aren’t any good.
Shopping for digital photo frames on Amazon is often better than many competing sites like Walmart and eBay as you usually have more reviews and product information to work with. Amazon also has an excellent return and refund policy.
The main reason to shop at Amazon for a 24-inch digital picture frame is the selection. They have the broadest range of digital picture frames on the market, whereas many other stores like Target only have a handful of choices – with nothing in the 24-inch region.
Make sure you read through as many reviews and questions & answers as possible before choosing which frame to buy – especially if it’s a generic brand.
Is a 24-inch digital picture frame too big?
24-inch digital picture frames are significantly bigger than most other digital picture frames (around 8-15-inches). You’ll almost always need to wall mount a large 24-inch frame and will most likely keep it in a large high-traffic room like the living room or common area.
Digital picture frames tend to draw attention easily and dominate the space they’re in. This is why you’ll usually find them on an empty wall as the only piece of décor. For most people, a 10 to the 15-inch digital picture frame is usually more than enough.
If you’re an art or photography enthusiast, you might find quite a bit of value in a large 24-inch digital picture frame to showcase your work or interest. These large frames are often significantly more expensive than smaller frame sizes – especially if they use a touchscreen.
If you just want a simple and cost-effective frame to view family photos and stay in the loop, a standard 10-inch or 15-inch frame is usually enough. You should only go for a large 24-inch digital frame for very specific reasons like showcasing artwork or for professional photography.
Can I use a TV or monitor as a 24-inch digital picture frame?
This is quite a common question and not a bad idea. You’ll find that many digital frames around the 24-inch mark are more expensive than 32-inch smart TVs. This isn’t always the case, though it makes the comparison worthwhile.
You’ll have to sacrifice some features like control over play order and slideshow transition style and speeds if you use a TV. This can sometimes be managed by third-party apps or software. You also likely won’t have much or any internal storage on a smart TV, and the user interface usually isn’t as friendly.
On the flip side, smart TVs will generally offer higher-resolution displays and more versatility as you can watch TV as normal. You get better video and photo format compatibility and can watch TV shows and watch from streaming services like Netflix.
If you’re looking for a 24-inch digital picture frame that can’t connect to Wi-Fi, your money will likely be better spent on a smart TV or monitor of roughly the same size. You have to compare the costs, features, and usability and decide which of the two options best suits your needs.
What to look for in a 24-inch digital picture frame?
Aspect ratio and display resolution are arguably the most important features of 24-inch digital picture frames. Most of our smartphones and digital cameras shoot in 4:3. If you send a photo that was shot in 4:3 to a 16:9 display, it will either be cropped or surrounded by unsightly black pillar bars (boxing the photo in). This cropping or boxing is even more noticeable on a 24-inch digital picture frame and can single-handedly ruin the viewing experience and immersion. Screen resolution should be at least 1080p for such as large display – especially if you’re going to use it for displaying artwork or photography work.
Avoid touchscreen as they are significantly more expensive on any frame larger than 8-inches. They’re also less durable and the fingerprints left behind reflect light differently and make it harder to view the screen at an angle. Touchscreens are more prone to scratching and will wear far quicker than standard non-touch displays.
Wi-Fi and cloud support are a big bonus, though it’s worth noting that most 24-inch digital picture frames don’t include this feature. They generally work off of a combination of onboard internal storage and USB/SD card support (and the relevant ports). Wi-Fi connectivity lets you send photos to the frame via mobile apps, web interfaces, and in some cases to import photos from external sources like social media and photo-sharing sites. Wi-Fi and cloud capabilities unlock features like remotely controlling the frame from anywhere in the world (usually with limitations).
Another handy feature that’s not essential is multimedia support. You want to be able to play videos longer than 1-minute (bonus points if the frame also supports audio playback). Playing videos add a lot to the versatility of the frame and can add a lot of character to the room it’s in – and to how you interact with your loved ones.
Make sure the frame can display photos in both landscape and portrait modes as you want the flexibility to change between them. This carries through to the mount type on the back of the frame. Swivel mounts aren’t very common and let you slide between orientations. If you can’t find a swivel mount, a standard VESA mount will do as you can choose which orientation to display in, and changing between them doesn’t take too long.
Is a 24-inch digital picture frame worth it?
As we’ve already hinted at in this article, you should only go for a 24-inch digital picture frame if you specifically need a large, high-resolution display (at least 1080p). This is often the case for photographers and artists that want to see their work on a big screen.
Make sure you write down your needs and rank them by importance. Use this as a metric when deciding which frame to go with and you’ll be more likely to get a 24-inch digital picture frame that caters closely to your specific needs.
If you’re on the market for standard frame sizes for basic family and home use, 10-15” frames are your best bet. This is the reason that 10-inch frames are the most popular on the market at the moment. They offer the best balance between price, size, and features. Since the display is smaller, more money goes into developing the user experience and features.
